Elastic plug



y 3 G. DONADON ET AL 2,080,201

ELASTIC PLUG Filed Feb. 1, 1954 (2 Dan 7% 714- @ayJmO Patented May 11, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELASTIC PLUG Application February 1, 1934, Serial No. 709,374 In Italy October 2'7, 1933 3 (llaims.

This invention relates to stoppers for bottles and like receptacles of the kind wherein a ball or spherical stopper is held against the mouth of the bottle by resilient arms which are attached to the neck of the bottle.

The object of the invention is to provide a stopper which may be applied to the necks of bottles and like receptacles in such a manner as to prevent or to permit the passage of liquid from the bottle while being held securely to the neck of the bottle in either position. Another object of the invention is to provide a stopper of elastic material comprising a ball held firmly in place while in operative position, easily moved to and held in operative position and the entire stopper easily removed as a whole from the bottle neck.

The invention will be clearly understood from the following description and the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a bottle neck fitted with the improved stopper according to the present invention, and

Figure 2 is a similar view of another embodiment of the invention.

A spherical or ball stopper 4 is provided which is made of or covered with elastic material such as india rubber, the stopper being held in position by elastic arms 3 which are integral with the rub- 30 ber constituting the ball or covering the ball.

The arms are integral with an elastic sleeve 2 as shown in Figure 1, or an elastic collar 2' as shown in Figure 2. The collar or sleeve is adapted to fit around the neck I of the bottle. In the use of the device, I is the neck of the bottle, the elastic sleeve 2, for instance of india rubber of convenient length in longitudinal direction is so slipped along the neck as to submit the arms 3 to such a stretching action that, owing to the elasticity of the material whereof said arms are made, a strain P is obtained which is .sufiicient to press the spherical stopper 4 against the mouth of the neck I to the required extent.

In order to facilitate the application and removal of the collar 2 to and from the neck I, the beads I may be employed.

To open the plug it is suflicient to press on the spherical stopper in the direction of the arrow 6, thus increasing the length of the arms 3, and consequently the passage of the spherical stopper and the arms to the positions 4 and 3 respectively.

Figure 2 shows an embodiment which differs from that of Figure 1 only in that the collar 2' is ring-shaped inasmuch as in this figure, the neck I is formed with a projection I which is adapted to stop the ring, whereas in the embodiment of Figure 1, the stopping action is secured by the friction exerted by the collar 2.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the present invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, what is claimed is:

1. A bottle stopper of the character described comprising an elastic attaching sleeve adapted for adjustable and frictional engagement with the neck of a bottle, opposed arms projecting longitudinally from the outer edge of the sleeve and integral therewith, and a plug in the form of a ball having a rubber covering integral with the outer ends of the arms and adapted to be yieldingly and removably held on the mouth of a bottle.

2. A flexible bottle closure made entirely of rubber, comprising a rubber ball adapted to seal the contents of a bottle, a resilient rubber neck band, and two resilient rubber connecting bands of appreciable thickness disposed on opposite sides of said ball and neck band and joining said ball to said neck band in such manner as to constitute the closure a single integral element.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a bottle stopper of a single piece of resilient material and comprising a bottle mouth fitting member having a curved surface for fitting against and slightly into the mouth of a bottle, a flexible ring-like band for engaging about the neck of a bottle and opposed arms formed integrally with said band and member and adapted to flex to permit removal of said member from a bottle mouth.

GIACINTO DONADON. MICHELE CARDINO. ALESSANDRO BERIO. 

